Stallie...you can lay the blame for the poor level of multi engine training in Oz today directly at the feet of CASA.... you know the Civil Aviation SAFETY Authority.
I have had over the years C&T on Bn2, C402, C404, PA60, Twin Otter and Falcon 200...all bar the Falcon was in PNG where, for all their other faults, DCA took a very laudible, pragmatic view of who should do training. I passed DCA Checkrides for C&T on all except PA60, which was a 'over a beer at the Dero deal, + a DCA Checkride for initial Tailwheel Training approval on the C185. The fact that I had long expired Grade 3 IR helped.
Note all that training was done under the auspices of a Reg 203 airline licence except for the Aerostar/C185.
I passed some tough CASA testing on the Falcon for full C&T as well as I/R renewal/initial issue and Initial 1st/2nd class type endorsements...blah, blah.
But a recent enquiry to CASA about how I might go about getting endorsement approval for a certain FAR 23 turbine I'm flying met with a very definate negative response.
If I want to renew my Grade 3 Instructors rating, at great expence, with a ME Checkride I could, presumably, teach on any twin I'm endorsed on, under the umbrella of a Flying School...but no way will they do a Checkride on me and transfer (recent) previously held CASA approvals (Part 25 Internationa Ops) if I want to be a CP in a Part 23 Charter Operation.
How do I do recurrency on Pilots under my authority?
The answer is that's what ATOs are for!
Umm sorry but that doesn't work all that well.
Now I understand that they have a set of rules but when they are so inflexible one has to wonder whether they are counterproductive. Clearly this system protects the ATOs but, from what little I've seen of ATOs, SOME are not worth protecting.
As far as usefull questioning on performance is concerned you forget the first rule...never ask a question you don't know the answer to!
I have had a CASA approved ATO tell me during a groundcourse for a FAR 25 certified Corporate Jet, not the Falcon, that "To maintain directional control after an engine failure at V1 reduce power on the good engine"
This was because it had "very powerfull engines"
Searching questions on his understanding of V1 and it's relationship to Vmcg + V2 and it's relationship to Vmca were revealing...but had no effect because he told the same thing to someone else 6 months later.
Perhaps we were the first two ex airline guys he'd endorsed...and presumably it passed a CASA FOI without comment too! I wonder if he's still doing it!!
Wanna learn about performance? Join an airline!!!
Our answer?
"Nah sorry...won't be doing dat!!"
Chuck.